One of the most frequent questions I’m asked when teaching EFT-tapping is this one:

How do I get the words right?

First of all, don’t worry about the words that much. They are meant to focus the mind on the issue at hand, but they aren’t totally crucial. It’s much more important to tune in to the issue than to find the perfect words.

Second, I don’t find it that hard to come up with words, but then, I’m also an author and I just love language and paying with words… so I’ll do my best to encourage you to approach this in a fun and playful way.

And I’m creating a miniseries to help you find a set-up phrase that actually works for you and let’s EFT work through you.

Today, I’ll start with the first part of the set-up, which goes like this:

Even though I have this problem…

And there it is, right away. This set-up is way, way too general. Of course, it’s just an example.

There are two main guidelines for creating a good, functional, efficient set-up phrase:

1) Be as precise as possible.
2) Bring in your emotion.

I’m tell you how to do that in the video.

I hope you’re feeling more confident about building your set-up phrase now, and that you may tap more often. Because it really helps, and because it is an awesome tool for authors.

Tapping phrases:

Even though I struggle with finding the right words for the tapping, and I don’t tap because of this, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to be more precise and include my feelings.

Even though I’ve worried about finding the right words, and that has kept me from tapping more often, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to experiment with those words.

Even though I find it hard to come up with the right words for the tapping, and I’ve let that keep me from tapping, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to use my creative skills to make tapping fun and effective.

Asking you:
Are you tapping often?
Do you struggle with the words?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you using tapping with your writing?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

Since most of you haven’t seen me (well, maybe you did watch the NaNoWriMo videos on Facebook), and since it’s easier to decide to trust someone you see, I want to add video to this blog.

And maybe even interviews with authors – and a little tapping.
(Let me know if you’re interested!)

Now why would any author want to use EFT?

In my experience, EFT is the best tool to shift out of negative mindsets. Yes, I’m biased. And it is fast, fun to use and easy to learn.

And boy, do authors have negative mindsets!

I’ll talk about why you need to get rid of those in the video.

In the modern world of publishing, and especially as a self-publishing author, you’re running a business. That requires steady work, regular production of stories, a system for editing, cover creation, publishing and marketing – and making smart decisions.

You can’t afford a negative mindset.

EFT is an awesome tool for authors – and everyone, really.

Here are some suggestions for some tapping – to help you release a negative mindset.

Tapping Phrases

Even though I never thought about changing mindset, it always seems I just feel what I feel, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m now open to the possibility that I can change how I feel about my writing and my business.

Even though I often feel bad about my writing, but never thought this could be changed, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m now open to using EFT to make my life easier.

Even though I often feel resistance to writing, and I thought this is just part of the job, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m now open to the possibility that writing could be much, much easier.

Asking you:
How do you feel about being an author?
About running your own business?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

I hope that with this series I’ve been able to show you that it’s negative emotions that underly most instances of procrastination. That’s how we try to protect ourselves from bad stuff – which in most cases isn’t even true. So we procrastinate because of emotions.

Worries, fears, and of course, outdated safety programs.

I also hope that I could encourage you to tap on these feelings when you’re procrastinating again on something.

Because all these fears and worries, and especially that nasty bad conscience when you didn’t do something again – all of this doesn’t even have to happen.

All you need to do is to tap on these resistances as they come up. And the tasks you procrastinate on are the perfect triggers to make them visible.

It’s as simple as that.

A round of tapping takes a few minutes, at most. And sometimes, all you need to do is to become aware of what is really going on to make it shift.

I have that happen often just while I tap on the side of the hand, working through my set-up phrases. Of course, I have a huge amount of experience and both my body and my subconscious are used to tapping and react quickly. But it’s also possible for you.

Go ahead, practice this, and you’ll find that you procrastinate less and get more done.

While feeling better.

Maybe you’ll even create little systems to get stuff done (that’s fancy speak for setting up a routine).

Maybe from now on, you’ll vacuum every Wednesday. Or do your bookkeeping on Fridays. Or send out a newsletter on every 10th of the month.

The advantage of such systems is that you no longer question them. You just do your task.

And those safety programs will stop getting triggered.

Because now it’s simply habit, something normal.

You’ll just do those things.

Inconceivable?

*grins*

Tapping Phrases

Even though I just can’t believe that I’d ever get used to doing things without resistance, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m open to the possibility I could reach that state.

Even though I can’t believe that I’d ever be able to overcome all that resistance, I’m okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to tap and try out systems.

Even though I can’t even conceive of being able to do some things without resistance, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to tap and change my life – and make it easier!

Asking you:
How do you feel about systems?
Have you tried them already?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

The next bestseller. The next, even bigger award. More five-star reviews, more blogs, more, more, more…

Better, bigger, even more awesome!

And what happens if the next book doesn’t make bestseller?

When there’s no new award to celebrate and market?

That’s even worse, because you already know those moments of joy, those awesome, heady days when you celebrate a huge success.

It makes the hole bigger, the failure more painful.

The higher you fly, the deeper the fall.

We creative people can easily imagine that.

We can feel the pain before it even happens.

Because that’s who we are.

And that’s why we might stop creating stuff before this even happens.

Because the pain isn’t worth it.

If I can’t win this, I won’t play at all.

Unfortunately, that means we might stop writing, painting or sculpting.

Because deep inside, we want to avoid that kind of pain.

That kind of stress.

We refuse to run a rat race for success. And stop what we love.

The fear is real.

And it’s not necessary at all.

Because we can take back control.

Just imagine if you could simply enjoy doing what you love.

Writing those books, painting those pictures, creating those sculpture.

And take success when it comes, celebrate it and then let it go.

Yes, that’s hard if you need to earn money with your books.

But it’s much healthier to find a balance between income and your work, than to be driven into burn-out by racing from success to success. Because you want to keep doing what you love for a long time…

We can refuse to participate in that rat race.

We can be real, even to our fans. We can be honest about what is possible, doable and healthy.

We can enjoy our success without hopping into that race.

All it takes is a small adjustment of the mindset.

Tapping phrases

Even though I feel so incredibly stressed, working for the next huge success, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to stop this rat race and remember why I love doing what I do.

Even though racing from success to success is so hard, and I dread this race – which is why I’m not doing anything, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to release that fear and allow easy success without stress.

Even though I’m so scared I’ll get caught in that race and start hating what I love right now – and I’d rather not be successful at all if that’s the price! – I’m still totally okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to be successful without falling into that trap.

Asking you:
Are you afraid of the pressure to succeed again and again?
Have you felt that pressure already?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

Why would people be afraid of success when all we want is to be successful?

It’s because of our wild imagination. We need it for our creative endeavors, but it can also trip us up when we think of our success.

Because what happens after we enjoy our success?

Life goes on. Inevitably.

Even winners of the Nobel prize continue to make their own breakfast, and probably clean their toilet themselves.

Our success gets old, stale and will be forgotten eventually.

We will have to repeat it.

Which means that the pressure is back on and probably higher than before we had our first success, the one we dreamed about.

(I’ll talk about all those fears connected to *that* in the next weeks.)

Because now we have proven that we have it “in us”, we’re expected to repeat this success over and over again.

The next book. the next sales record. The next bestseller. Or the next painting. The next prize. The next… whatever.

And honestly?

This pressure is exhausting.

And maybe a part of us believes it’s better to not even enter into this spiral of pressure. This spiral of success.

Which is why we may never finish our book, or our painting, our art.

That’s why it is easier to start something new rather than finishing, especially if there is a hint or threat of potential success.

And that’s such a loss!

Because the world needs creativity, and only you can create what you do.

And because we’re putting this pressure on ourselves, with our vivid imagination, our beliefs and expectations.

What if we could just go on writing the next book, with joy and no pressure?

What if we could simply keep enjoying our creativity, one piece at a time?

Without pressure?

Well, we could tap on that.

Tapping phrases

Even though I’m scared of being successful, this will add so much pressure to my life that I’d rather avoid it, I’m still totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to know that I can handle success in a way that’s fun and easy.

Even though I won’t risk success and that’s why I won’t finish anything, I’m still totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to know that there’s no reason to feel stressed about it at all.

Even though I’m afraid of success because I really can’t handle even more stress in my life, I’m still totally okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to enjoy success without adding more stress to my life.

Asking you:
Are you afraid of success and the pressure that comes from it?
Have you felt that pressure already?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

Underneath all those fears that I’ve been talking about in the last few weeks is another, much bigger fear:

The fear of being judged.

The big issue behind that fear is that being judged means being rejected and getting kicked out of your group, which in turn means dying all alone in the saber-tooth tiger infested wilderness.

Yes, this is an old stone-age fear.

And yet, it is very much alive in ourselves, since we humans are a social species and need groups to survive.

Being rejected by your group meant death back then, quite simply. We still don’t like taking that risk – and finishing your book, publishing it and making it visible for practically everyone in the work does mean taking the risk of being judged.

That’s why we may not finish writing our book.

Why we hesitate to publish it and prefer doing yet another rewrite or editing run.

Why hitting that publish button is so difficult.

And that’s why getting bad reviews can feel so frightening.

We want to stay in our group and be safe.

Now, of course there are people who don’t feel that being visible is a risk at all. Often those are people who enjoy some kind of status in the group that doesn’t depend on their writing. (And they won’t read this article anyway.)

But for the rest of us, our ancient safety programs sound the alarm when we do something that invites judgment.

Those safety programs aren’t bad, by the way. They are supposed to protect ourselves, and they are just doing their job – making us uncomfortable when we do something potentially dangerous and detrimental to our health or continued existence.

Unfortunately, those safety programs got a bit outdated.

Because in our society – at least in most of the Western world – a bad review isn’t dangerous. We don’t lose our lives because of a book we publish. We do not get kicked out on the street for the art we create.

Our safety programs don’t know that.

Which means we need to update them.

For me, the best way to update a safety program is still EFT tapping.

That’s because we can reach both the mind and the emotions though EFT.

You see, those safety programs can’t quite be reached by rational reasoning. That’s because they operate on an emotional level.

We don’t get a clear alarm signal in our minds when a safety program activates. We just feel uncomfortable, afraid or upset when we try to go against their warning. And then we procrastinate, start yet another story, do the dishes, clean the house or find inspiration elsewhere, simply to avoid being uncomfortable.

So if you find yourself at the kitchen sink, veering away from finishing a story yet again, or from editing or actually publishing your book, consider the idea that there’s a safety program at work. And then do some tapping.

Tapping Phrases

Even though I’m so scared of being judged that I’d rather not finish my book, and that I avoid publishing it, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to know that this is just an old safety program at work.

Even though I’m scared that I’ll be rejected, kicked out and left to die when I get visible with my books, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to know that this stone-age fear is no longer useful in the 21st century.

Even though I’m really afraid of being judged because it feels like a huge risk, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I choose to know that I am quite safe even if I finish my story and publish my book.

Asking you:
Are you familiar with this fear of being judged?
Have you received horrible reviews already?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

The Fear of being seen is another reason why we procrastinate and don’t finish stories, art projects, or other tasks.

Because once we finish, our product needs to be seen.

That book needs readers, that painting needs viewers, that piece of art has to go to exhibitions and find a buyer. (And of course, that opens up a number of other tasks to procrastinate on!)

And of course, if our products are being seen, we as creators are also on the line.

Being seen means to be visible.

With all of our flaws. With all the parts we don’t even like about ourselves.

It begins with our body.

We may not like how we look.

We may not have that ideal weight. (Dare I mention that idiotic “thigh gap”?)

We may not have ideal hair.

We may not like being looked at.

Some of us can hide a little.

Authors can use a pen name, and so can other artists.

We can talk though agents, unless we’re self-publishing.

But even if we can hide, our product cannot.

Our product will always be visible.

And thus it will be open to criticism.

Books will get reviews, so will paintings, and dance. Pottery will be bought or not, it will be deemed beautiful or ugly.

People will notice flaws. That typo we missed, that wrong stroke of the brush, that little bulge in the mug.

And we’re afraid of those flaws.

That moment when fear flushes us, along with that bad conscience we know from being kids.

That ugly fear of “what did we wrong this time?”

Nobody likes that fear. So we hide.

It’s so much easier not to finish that product, and avoid that fear. So much easier to go and vacuum, to wash windows, to cook, to play with the dog, or get lost in a computer game…

Much easier to procrastinate rather than allow visibility.

And even if we finish, some of us hide our project.

And that’s so sad.

Because I’m sure that so many novels are languishing on hard drives. So many manuscripts get burned. So much art is hidden away in the basement. So many paintings never leave the house.

So much beauty is lost, yet our world needs more beauty.

Because of that stupid fear of being seen.

I’m not saying you’re stupid, btw. and I don’t want to belittle your fear. It’s rather powerful if it stops you, and keeps you from doing what you love.

But that fear kills dreams. Your dreams. Our dreams. And it really is “just” a fear. A learned response to something that may have happened to you, or someone you know.

A fear that can be released.

Of course, the best tool I know for releasing fears is EFT tapping.

Why tapping? Because EFT works with the rational mind and the heart. It uses emotions and can shift the thought patterns we got used to. Because it can “reset” our thought patterns and beliefs – and help us let go of that fear.

Tapping phrases

This time around, the phrases are vague and I’m not completely happy with them. That’s because this kind of fear tends to be rather individual, based on experiences where we got humiliated. It’s much easier to release those when we can work with an actual experience – which I can’t when I’m posting just some tapping suggestions.

So try these, be gentle and loving to yourself (and let me know if you want more help):

Even though I hate being visible and vulnerable, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to acknowledge the beauty of what I created and allow some people to see that.

Even though I hate feeling vulnerable and I don’t trust people, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to be proud of what I created and let that feeling overcome my fears.

Even though I hate being visible and being criticised, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to see that my art could be worth dealing with that fear and criticism.

Asking you:
Are you afraid of being visible?
Can you imagine showing your work anyway?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

Perfectionism is a bit like the big brother of the fear of mistakes – the stakes, however, are much higher.

You can’t allow a single blemish, because then it wouldn’t be perfect anymore.

It takes enormous amounts of time and effort to be perfect, and the temptation to put it all off is much larger.

The cost of failure is also much higher – I’ll get to that in a moment.

Perfectionism is a killer.

That’s because perfectionism is the symptom of a very detrimental mindset.

In her book “Mindset”, Carol Dweck talks about a “fixed mindset”.

This is the belief that you can only be good at something if you have talent.

And talent expresses itself with perfect results right away.

Perfectionism is the expression of this belief.

The downside, however, is horrible.

You see, if you make a single mistake, it’s proof you have no talent. That single mistake, blemish, error or imperfection will implode your foundation, your basis of who you are.

If you don’t have the talent you came to believe you had, possibly encouraged by your parents or your peers, or even teacher, you’re nothing.

Nothing.

You might as well quit and crawl under a rock.

This is why bad reviews can be so painful. Why a word of criticism can reduce you to a quivering jelly. Why pointing out an error can send people into a flying rage.

We and they are just defending their “talent”. And who they are. It’s big.

There is a solution.

The alternative to a “fixed mindset” is a “growth mindset”.

A “growth mindset” means you’re basing your expectations of success (and praise) on the learning process. You believe that putting in the work and learning your craft will result in getting better, and eventually successful.

Mistakes and errors are simply parts of the learning curve, and you welcome it when people point the out to you – as they give you the chance to learn better.

Carol Dweck found out that kids who are in the “growth mindset” have a much larger chance of being successful.

This seems very logical, right?

The good news is that it is possible to shift into a “growth mindset”. Unfortunately, it takes some work.

You see, we love the “fixed mindset” because it promises that we can get successful without putting in all that work! Just because we have this awesome talent. I know. I’ve been there…

It’s time to let go of the “fixed mindset”!

The faster you can let go of that “fixed mindset”, this belief in an invincible talent (which must be defended at all cost!), the easier it is to let go of perfectionism and procrastination.

Because actually doing the tasks, the work, the writing, the marketing, the bookkeeping, and actually putting in the time while DOING IT will make you better!

It will make life easier and more fun.

Can you see this amazing, stunning shift?

Can you feel this sudden desire to DO THINGS?

My favorite tool to change a mindset is EFT, of course. I know nothing that works faster. (And a 1:1 session works best.) So here are some tapping suggestions for you.

Tapping phrases

Even though I am a perfectionist, and I feel terrible when something isn’t perfect, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to take a closer look at my beliefs about talents and learning curves.

Even though it feels like a personal attack if someone points out an error, because I am a perfectionist, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to see that this person may actually want to help.

Even though I procrastinate because being perfect is so darn hard, I am okay the way I am, and I’m now willing to let go of perfectionism and to try out this learning curve people speak of.

Asking you:
Are you a perfectionist?
Does pointing out mistakes feel like an attack on your person?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you writing right now?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

From this post on, we’re going to look at the reasons behind procrastination, and we’re starting with the obvious:

Fear of doing something wrong.

Now, rationally, we know that making an error isn’t a big thing, it’s usually a moment where we can learn something or grow a little. That’s the adult way of looking at mistakes.

Emotionally, we’ve been drilled to live in fear of mistakes.

It starts in school. Every error is marked in red, and it costs us. Points. Grades. Love from the teacher. No smilies. No happy faces. Disgrace.

Maybe we even got laughed at.

So emotionally, we fear making a mistake.

And depending on the cost of the mistake, we are reluctant to do a task.

Which means that we’re more reluctant and likely to procrastinate more on a tax declaration than on cleaning the bathroom, in general.

And if we’re worried about getting a difficult chapter or scene right, that can totally stop us in our tracks.

It’s the fear!

The problem is that when we’re filled with fear – even if it’s a complete irrational fear originating from the time we were six years old – we can’t think very well.

Our main brain goes offline when we’re stressed, and our thinking reverts to what I like to call our reptile brain. And the focus is on fight, flight or playing dead.

Since we can’t really fight a tax declaration or that bed scene, our usual options are flight (cleaning the bathroom) or playing dead.

The solution is releasing the stress.

What we need to do is to release stress – to get our brain back online. With our mighty brain, we can solve the tricky scene, and we can work our way through the mysterious language of a tax declaration.

And if you were my client, we’d dig deeper into those school memories and shift the origins of that fear. Alas, this is so individual I can’t quite do it for you guys reading this.

What you can do is to tap a little more generally, to release stress and some of that fear. And with a bit of luck, you’ll see quite a shift even this way.

Here’s some tapping for you.

Tapping phrases

Even though I procrastinate on things because of this vague underlying fear, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m now open to releasing both the stress and the fear.

Even though I worry about mistakes and that makes me procrastinate on tasks or writing, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to know that this might be an ancient fear that I can let go.

Even though I worry about mistakes, and that stops me cold from writing a difficult chapter or doing an important task, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to give myself permission to do these tasks without fear.

Asking you:
How do you feel about making mistakes?
Do you have a gut reaction?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – will you keep writing?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.

This feeling of… nah, I’ll do it later.
No, not now… later.
I’m not in the mood, I’m not inspired, I’m not… whatever.

And then we procrastinate.

Nah, I’ll do it tomorrow, there’s still time…
Nah, it’s such a nice day, I’d rather go outside…

And at the worst, you open a file you should be working on… and you can’t do it. Instead, you find yourself playing Solitaire, or vacuuming the house, or – that happens to me all the time – you start writing a brand new story without finishing the old one.

And before I started writing this blog post, I quickly checked FB, and sent a good morning greeting to my own little chat room.

As you can see, I’m totally familiar with this…

But what causes procrastination?

I believe it’s not just “laziness”.

Instead I think that when dealing with a task, negative emotions, memories and fears combine to make it almost impossible for us to deal with it, and we skip into different actions to avoid working on the tax declaration, or making an appointment with the dentist, or – this is my current bear – learning how to create covers.

Thing is, if we actually accept this as a working hypothesis, it means that EFT is the perfect tool to deal with procrastination because it’s the fastest way I know to eliminate negative emotions, fears and associated bad memories.

For now, I’m looking at collecting emotions, memories and fears that make it hard for us to complete the tasks we set for ourselves. So if you want to contribute, write a comment below, and I can include this particular problem in the series. (Let’s see how far we can get!)

Of course, part of the problem is that a task can feel unpleasant by itself, or have unpleasant consequences.

Hardly anyone enjoys preparing the taxes, even though it can mean we’ll get money back. I think that – especially with taxes – we’re afraid of making errors, and possibly fear a somewhat unpredictable entity dealing with our declaration. So some of us wait until a reminder raises the pressure to the point where it’s bigger than our fears…

And that dentist? Here in Germany, health insurance pays for regular checkups (and reduces the co-pay on more expensive procedures if you document them). And I still procrastinate on making those appointments, even though I have a nice and gentle dentist. I suppose my old fear is still raising its head here. (Time to tap that one out!)

I’m describing cases in such detail to show you the patterns involved.

We procrastinate because somehow, certain tasks have unpleasant emotions attached to them.

Because there is some kind of fear.

Being aware of those patterns means we can now take a closer look and figure out what exactly is holding us back. Even for those tasks that shouldn’t be unpleasant.

Why do I find it hard to finish a story? What is unpleasant about that?

Why do I find it hard to book a vacation, when I have both the time and the money?

And that’s exactly where we start with the detective work for EFT. We hunt those negative emotions and tap them out. And then life gets easier and more fun.

Tapping phrases

Even though I procrastinate on things, and I don’t even know why, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I’m now open to the possibility that negative emotions, experiences and fears might be the reason for this.

Even though I procrastinate and only do things when the pressure becomes unbearable, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to release all those emotions and fears.

Even though I hate that I procrastinate so much and lose so much time doing nothing, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to take a close look to identify what’s really going on – and to tap all that stuff out.

Asking you:
What do you procrastinate about?
How does that feel?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – will you keep writing?Please share in a comment.

Image Source: F. Moebius

PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.